Davidson’s Debut Interrupted
CHICAGO—Called up from Triple-A Charlotte on June 30, Matt Davidson couldn’t wait to play in his first game for the White Sox.
“I’m excited to be here, and this was my goal, to be here,” said Davidson, 25. “It’s a long ride, but I’m glad to be here.
“The past couple years I haven’t really had a good reason to be impatient. I’ve struggled, so I kind of knew I wasn’t getting called up.”
Davidson indeed struggled with Charlotte in 2014-15, batting a combined .201 while striking out 31 percent of the time.
The third baseman led the International League with 23 home runs last season, but he also led the way with 191 strikeouts.
Davidson hit .268/.349/.444 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs through 75 games when Chicago called.
In the lineup against the Twins on June 30 as the DH and No. 8 hitter, Davidson’s big break quickly took a wrong turn.
After striking out in his first at-bat, he came through with an RBI single his next time up. But the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Davidson broke his right foot when he rounded first base and landed on the disabled list.
“It’s tough,” rookie shortstop Tim Anderson said. “I was in Triple-A with him and he worked his butt off. It’s sad to see him go down like that.”
The Diamondbacks selected Davidson in the supplemental first round of the 2009 draft out of high school in Yucaipa, Calif., and then traded him to the White Sox for closer Addison Reed following the 2013 season.
Davidson isn’t the first prospect this year to be injured when called to Chicago.
Catcher Kevan Smith was about an hour away from making his big league debut before being scratched with back spasms that were later diagnosed as a sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
Outfielder Jason Coats had to make an early exit after colliding with J.B. Shuck. He avoided a concussion but needed five stitches to close a cut in his mouth.
CHI-LITES
• Looking for bullpen depth after Jake Petricka (hip) and Daniel Webb (elbow) had season-ending surgeries, Chicago claimed righthander Juan Minaya on waivers from the Astros and assigned him to Charlotte.
• After being released by the Nationals, outfielder Tony Campana signed with the White Sox.
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